Her laugh is soft. Husky. “It’ll take more than that.”
Rhett and Quincy step up from behind, giving me the evil eye, but I ignore their thunderous faces, plunging on before she gets away.
“Is this your baby?”
Warmth floods her voice. “Yes. This is Connor.”
I peer inside the stroller and almost choke on my emotion. My son gives me a full-blown smile. A smile. He smiled at me. I swallow down my pansy tears and jubilant laughter, keeping my voice even. “How old is he?”
“Ten months.”
Connor grabs the finger I hold out greedily. I chuckle. “He’s handsome.”
“He is,” she says with pride. “Looks just like his daddy.”
Something pierces my heart. I straighten and look at her left hand. She’s still wearing her wedding ring. I grow warm and fuzzy inside like I have no right to. I have no right to be happy for her grief or loyalty, not that she’d give me either.
Not ready to let her go, I grope around for a subject in my head when my gaze falls on the overflowing basket in Rhett’s hands.
“You don’t joke around with the shopping.”
She wipes a stray curl behind her ear. “It seems like a lot, doesn’t it? But my guys,” she winks in Quincy and Rhett’s direction, “eat like horses. I prefer to support the local farmers, plus it’s organic.”
That sounds just like her.
“What about you?” She eyes my suit. “You’re not dressed for market shopping.”
“I’m meeting someone.”
“Oh, I better let you go, then.”
Don’t.
Tilting her head, she regards me with a quizzical expression. “Have we met?”
The mask on my face stays in place as I hold out a hand. “Gregor Malan.”
She accepts my proffered hand and gives a firm shake. “Valentina Louw.”
More warmth spreads over me as she uses the surname that stamped my possession on her, like my lips, my cock, my belt, and my seed. Fuck, I need to get a grip.
“It was a pleasure bumping into you, Gregor Malan.”
Her smile is so fucking sweet I want to lick it from her lips. “Like the apology, the pleasure is all mine.”
Only pure willpower enables me to take the first step, and the second, and the third, each farther away. I shouldn’t look back, but I’m only human and a lustful man at that. When I glance over my shoulder, Rhett and Quincy are on my ass. Good boys. They’ll come second if they’re stupid enough to take me on, but I sure as hell appreciate that they keep the wolves at bay.
Rhett blocks my way. “We’d like a word with you.”
I glance at Valentina. She stopped at a fruit stall with her back turned to us. “You left your friend unprotected.”
Quincy widens his stance. “It’ll only take a minute.”
“Are you interested in her?” Rhett cocks his head in Valentina’s direction.
This is the part where he plants a fist on my jaw for saying yes. I look him straight in the eyes. “Yes.”
“Why?” Quincy asks.
What the fuck is this? “What do you mean, why?”
“As in a nice piece of ass for tonight or as in an amazing woman for life?”
My anger surges at the mention of her ass. “If you ever speak about her like that again I’ll break your arms and legs.”
Rhett and Quincy look at each other with big grins.
“I think he’ll do,” Quincy says.
Rhett looks me up and down. “Worth the shot, maybe.”
“What’s your fucking problem?”
“Here’s the deal.” Rhett comes closer and lowers his voice. “Valentina’s had a real tough time, lately. Her life’s been pretty much shit. If you checked her out because you think she’ll be a nice diversion, we’re going to bust your balls and break your dick. If you’re good husband material, we’re prepared to set you up on a date.”
I can’t believe my ears. “Set me up on a date?”
“Consider it a preliminary testing,” Quincy says. “We’ll hang out with you, you know, check you out. If you meet our criteria, we’ll let you see her.”
Rhett pushes a finger in my face. “Only if your intentions are serious. You play with her, you play with me.”
“She’s a young mom, recently widowed,” Quincy continues, “so show some respect.”
“What are you guys? Her dating agency?”
“Friends,” they say in unison.
“I see.” I don’t. I want to bash their heads in for setting Valentina up on a date with a man she doesn’t know, even if that man is me.
“Aren’t you supposed to keep men like me away?”
“She’s a good woman,” Rhett says. “She deserves to have someone.”
As much as I’d like to jump at the opportunity, it will make me the man I used to be, the man who manipulated her into wanting and loving him. The whole idea of dying was to set her free.
“Some friends you are,” I bit out. “Keep men like me the fuck away from her, do you understand?”
“You’re not interested?” Rhett asks.